Bank of Italy, Fresno
historic place
The Bank of Italy building in Fresno, California, is a significant historic place. Construction on this eight-story structure began in 1917, and it was completed in August 1918. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style by architect Charles H. Franklin of the R.F. Felchlin Company, the building features ornate terra cotta and brick on its facade. Its interior lobby includes a twenty-five-foot decorative plaster ceiling and marble details. This building served as the Fresno headquarters for the Bank of Italy. Its opening was a major event, attended by bank president A.P. Giannini. The Bank of Italy later became Bank of America. A notable historical event occurred here in 1958: the modern credit card, then called BankAmericard and now known as Visa, was introduced, with Fresno as its first test market. The Bank of Italy building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It stands as an important example of early 20th-century banking architecture and financial innovation in Fresno.